Cousins fined over finger fiasco

Richmond's Ben Cousins has been fined $2,500 for making an insulting gesture to a television camera in Perth on Saturday, but faces a bigger penalty if he re-offends in the next 12 months.

The club has fined Cousins $5,000, but half of the sanction is suspended for a year.

The AFL has also fined Cousins $5,000, but he will only have to pay if he breaches the League's player rules within 12 months.

The Richmond midfielder told the AFL he thought a friend was working in the television links truck on Saturday and did not think anyone else would see the gesture.

"I met with the club this morning and have accepted their fine. I apologised for raising my finger and explained that it was not a gesture I ever thought would go to air," Cousins said in a statement.

"I hadn't seen the footage until yesterday [Monday] afternoon and wasn't aware of my facial expression. Once I viewed the footage I realised why the public, the AFL and the Richmond Football Club were offended by my actions."

"We have key behaviours and standards that the playing group are supposed to uphold. This was a breach of our standards and that is why it was important that Ben apologised and was also fined," Richmond's general manager Craig Cameron said.

"As far as we are concerned the issue has been addressed by the club, we have told Ben we were disappointed with his actions and we are all ready to move on from this topic."

Cousins made no mention of his friend in a written apology in a Melbourne newspaper.